MAJELLA The Malleea Cabernet Shiraz 1996

Robert Parker Score: 91 points

Reviewer: Robert M. Parker, Jr. — 11726 Jun 1998

Drink 2000–2013

Aged in 100% new French oak, this wine comes across as backward, youthful, and unevolved. It reveals a classic, black currant, vanillin, weedy tobacco, and peppery-scented nose, medium to full-bodied, powerful flavors, high tannin, and an unevolved, youthful taste and texture. This wine requires 2-4 years of cellaring; it should keep for 15 or more years. The Lynn brothers, who for years supplied grapes to some of the top cuvees of Winn and John Ridoch, have begun to estate bottle their production. This is a well-made, tightly-knit wine that was extremely youthful and unevolved when I tasted it. It possesses the potential to improve in the bottle, so my rating may turn out conservative